Drifting
by Kiryume
Summary: Mizael has an uncommon companion. (Post canon, spoilers for episode 140. Mizakai).


_If you really want to get used to the modern life, you must come to school with us. It will be fun!_

"I don't see any fun in this." Mizael mumbles and frowns while arranging his tie in front of the mirror for the seventh time since he woke up, Yuuma's words were echoing at the back of his head. He could have protested. _Could_. There was something about the boy's wide eyes that made it impossible to do so, and he had stared silently into them before accepting. Yuuma hugged him, and it was awkward and strangely warm and so uncomfortable; yet he still let himself hug Yuuma back as the rest of his friends laughed and teased him about it.

Now he has to get ready for _school_ and it's damn frustrating. The other ex-Barians are most likely already there since it is past the hour the first class started. His first day and already late, what a great start; he eventually gives up on the tie, throws it away, and reaches for his schoolbag to leave. He hopes he'll remember the way there, because they're all living separately to _move on,_ as Nasch put it. For him it is easy: has Yuuma to live with and take care of him, while he—

"You look very dumb without the tie, and your shirt is unbuttoned. I'm also sure that you are required to have a ponytail on campus if your hair exceeds shoulder length for males."

— he has Kaito.

He scoffs at the translucent figure hovering behind him without looking at him and sets off, deciding not to pay any attention to him no matter how much Kaito talks. Out of all people Kaito was close to, of all people who could have been able to see him, _Mizael_ has to be the only one who can see the ex-duelist's ghost floating around. Because that's how Kaito has remained, despite everyone else coming back to life. Quite dead.

"Listen to me, your appearance is ridiculous."

Mizael keeps ignoring him; there's no need to waste precious air on someone he can't have a proper conversation with anyway. The Barians arrived two weeks ago, and Kaito has been following him everywhere since then, constantly trying to engage in conversation. True, at first Mizael reciprocated, but when you learn that someone you regarded highly as a rival does something else besides dueling (which is talking endlessly) it ticks you off. Mizael lost his patience even quicker than with Vector.

"Mizael."

"What?" He finally snaps and raises his head to look for Kaito, walking straight into a light post and falling backwards onto the pavement. Mizael hisses at the stinging pain in his forehead and rubs it; that doesn't do any good, in fact it makes it worse, so he leaves it be and stands up.

"That."

"You could have told me _before_ I walked into it!"

"I've been trying to catch your attention for ten minutes now. You're also going in the wrong direction." Kaito shrugs with grin and points the other way around, taking the lead this time. Mizael mutters a _you're a dick_ and trails behind him without rush. He's already late anyway.

Kaito doesn't talk again on their way there though Mizael suspects he's taking the longest road there on purpose to get him into even more trouble. It wouldn't be the first time Kaito plays a dumb prank on him and whether he's used to it or not it doesn't matter. Kaito's proven himself a jerk.

Once in school he climbs the emergency staircase to the rooftop and sits there next to the fence, eyes scanning Heartland City looking for answers; he does need them. It's not the first time he questions his purpose to be there, _anywhere_ as a human. There's nothing to it besides headaches and insecurities, and as amusing as watching Alit run after Kotori or see Vector try to keep Nasch and Yuuma from kissing in public is that's all he's found entertainment in.

"So useless." He talks to himself and lies down to enjoy the breeze, not expecting any reply. Of course Kaito breaks the silence and Mizael watches him walk for the first time and look out at the scenery.

"Do you feel lost as well?"

"What do you mean, 'as well'?"

"Exactly what it is. I still haven't found why I've been brought back like this." Kaito turns to face Mizael and they stare at each other. For the first time, Mizael realizes that Kaito is _sad. _Who knows how long he's been suffering in silence, and only now Mizael is able to notice it in the dulled gray eyes.

"I thought you were here to pester me." Mizael's attempt at a joke doesn't do any good; Kaito seems to get only worse as he sits down with his legs crossed and slumps his shoulders in defeat. "…You're not?"

"Wish it were that simple. Before coming to you, I tried with the others. None of them can see me. Not even Chris." That's where Kaito's voice has a small break. The eldest Arclight's name dragged out of his mouth more than spoken, and the excruciating fact that the person he once loved and was loved by was blind to his existence going together hand in hand.

"S-so you've tried _everyone_?"

"Everyone." Kaito repeats toneless and sighs – his gesture is what fills Mizael's glass and has him back up immediately and reducing the space between them. He grabs Kaito by the shoulders and lifts him up (too pissed to notice the extremely new detail), shakes him a few times and once he's sure the ghost had enough lets go.

"You disappoint me. It's not like you to give up, I thought that was left quite clear when we dueled on the moon."

"Mizael, did you just…touch me…?"

"That's not important right n— I did?" Mizael blinks and tentatively takes hold of Kaito's shoulders again, feeling the skin warm under his fingers. _What in the heavens…_He presses Kaito into the fence behind them and watches him go through it like he did through anything else. But not Mizael. After two weeks they were interacting physically and they were able to touch.

"What's the meaning of this?" They ask at the same time and glare at one another as if that would produce any kind of answer. Mizael is the first one to back away and let Kaito regain his balance while he folds his arms under his chest to he's the only one able to interact with the specter floating away from him it must hold some deeper meaning than what meets the eye; their destinies had crossed each other more than once and it wouldn't be a surprise for the universe to have set them up for something bigger. Not bigger for the world, but for themselves.

"Hey, Kaito…"

"What do you want?"

"Come here." Kaito is pulled into an embrace from behind out of nowhere and he almost struggles out of it – he doesn't in the end. It's warm, and he hasn't fell warmth since he left earth that time to reach the moon for his fated duel with the man who was hugging him. They form a strange portrait together, because for anyone else it would look like some lunatic hugging air for no good reason.

Kaito shifts and fidgets with uncertainty before turning around to hug him back. There isn't any need to think _why_ or how strange and uncharacteristic it is for both of them to do such a thing and they simply rejoice in it.

"What's with you all of the sudden?" Kaito sounds muffled by Mizael's shirt but he doesn't care. It really is warm there.

"I- I just thought about it. That if I'm the only one able to see you and touch you, that it might mean something."

"If this is your way of hitting on me, you're doing it all wrong. I'm not up for all that spiritualism crap –"

"Shut up. Don't spoil the moment."

"Tch." Kaito keeps his mouth shut and lets it drop. Maybe they could investigate on it at some further point, that wasn't what mattered. Someone can see him, someone can _hold_ him even if for several awkward seconds. They had time for all of it, not that Kaito could die or something.

Eventually he slides out and floats high enough where he thinks Mizael can't reach him; he needs time to think about all of it now that he's been put in a different light. They both have a silent agreement not to mention that they hugged, not to even think about it. Kaito swirls until he's upside down – he's seen Astral do that a gazillion times and it does help with concentration – and looks at Mizael as if nothing has happened.

"Mizael."

"What."

"There's people staring at you." Kaito snickers and flew off before Mizael gets any time to react. Two students are giving him weird looks and Mizael has to abandon the roof full speed to avoid them seeing his burning red cheeks. Kaito Tenjo is still a jerk one he might closer to someday, but still an undeniable utter _jerk_.

He's given a few more suspicious looks as he makes his way to the cafeteria, shirt unbuttoned, or when he bumps full speed into Vector and spills food all over them. Of course Kaito is there to mock him and make things worse – somewhat, it's fun.

Staying in Heartland city and going on with his human life has gained a purpose, regardless of how short it turns out to be. Kaito needs him, and in a way, he needs Kaito. With hopes of one day seeing how Kaito truly smiles Mizael returns home that night and lays down to sleep with a lighter spirit; a lighter spirit and another quieter one curled up at his feet to try to get some rest as well.


End file.
